


Strength of Will

by Mistwolf_Magic



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: F/M, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Blood, Mild torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-29
Updated: 2014-10-29
Packaged: 2018-02-20 08:28:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2421923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistwolf_Magic/pseuds/Mistwolf_Magic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based in the Rebel Family Universe written by Shell-Shocked-NinjaTurtleGal on fanfiction.net </p><p>Ezra is strong in the Force, and if the Emperor and Inquisitor gets their hands on him, they'll turn him to the Dark Side... or kill him trying. The rest of the Rebels are in a race against time to get to Ezra before it's too late.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strength of Will

**Author's Note:**

> Own Star Wars, I do not. George Lucas does... actually it's Disney now, isn't it?
> 
> May the Force be with you...
> 
> Jan 31, 2015 -- I finally got actual confirmation that Kanan changed his name, so I put that in for his Blast from the Past.

Kanan clenched his jaw and fingered his lightsaber in the tense silence of the  _Ghost._

"...are we sure he's even on this ship, Kanan?" Sabine asked in a broken whisper."

"He's gotta be." Zeb responded, grip tightening on his bo-rifle.

Hera appeared in the airlock chamber. “Chopper’s getting us ready to dock, and he’ll be standing by when we’re ready to go.”

“Ye’re comin?”

Hera glared at the Lasat. “Nothing you do can make me stay.”

Kanan just bowed his head, loosening his shields and reaching out with the Force; searching desperately for his Padawan’s Force Signature.

**< > <> <> <>**

_“In and out. One of our easier ops.”_

_“Too easy if you ask me.” Zeb growled and Ezra nodded._

_“I have a bad feeling about this, Master. Shouldn’t they have put up more of a fight if the cargo is as hot as we were told?”_

_A thick fog appeared and cut off Kanan’s response as a chilling voice seemed to come from everywhere. “Oh, the cargo’s hot. But it’s of a… different nature…” Two blue lightsabers activated and purple electricity crackled on the ends of Zeb’s weapon. “It’s taken us awhile to track you down, Youngling.”_

_The black form of the Inquisitor appeared through the fog and Kanan spun to face him. “You won’t take him, Sith.”_

_The Inquisitor laughed, his own lightsaber activating, and waving a hand that threw Zeb into the crates where he didn’t move. Ezra ran to the Lasat, checking on his friend as Kanan and the Inquisitor’s lightsabers clashed; the boy stood, watching in fascination as red and blue clashed over and over._

_A warning pulse from the Force caused Ezra to look down just as an electro-grenade_ _went off and he cried out as a near continuous surge of electricity entered his body. When it ended, the navy-haired boy collapsed – only half-conscious – into the iron grip of Kallus, twitching slightly from the electricity; Ezra jerked as a syringe was pressed into his neck and the comforting hum of the Force became nearly nonexistent, a shudder ran through him as he blacked out._

_Kanan heard Ezra’s cry and his heart leapt into his throat as his Padawan’s Force Signature disappeared; he turned in time to see Ezra’s limp form being dragged onto the Imperial Transport. The Inquisitor laughed, “So long, Jedi,” and disappeared._

_The_ Ghost _landed in the grass as Zeb came back around and Sabine appeared on the entrance-ramp, glancing at the group. “Where’s Ezra?” Zeb blanched as he looked down, then bent and picked up the boy’s lightsaber._

_“They took him.” Kanan’s devastated voice was barely a whisper and he had fallen to his knees. “It was all a trap and they took him.”_

**_“Spector 5, we need to get going. Is everything all right?”_ **

_Zeb blinked after a moment and pulled an unresponsive Kanan into the ship. “Spector 4 to_ Ghost. _Get us up then meet us in the Med-bay.”_

**< > <> <> <>**

Hera touched Kanan’s shoulder and the Jedi turned his sunken, grey-green eyes to her. “He’ll be okay.”

Kanan swallowed. “It’s been nearly a month. And I haven’t felt him in three days.”

Sabine bowed her head to hide her tears.

**< > <> <> <>**

_They were all gathered in the ‘Sitting Room’ of the_ Ghost _; Zeb was leaning against a wall, Sabine was curled up on the couch with her knees hugged to her chest, Chopper was sitting silently in a corner, Kanan had his elbows on the small table with his head in his hands as he stared blankly at the tabletop, and Hera was sitting next to him resting her head on his shoulder._

_“What do they want with him?” Sabine asked in a small voice. “Why take HIM? He’s just a kid!”_

_Kanan answered bleakly. “The Emperor wants him as his Sith Apprentice. He’s been looking for him for months.”_

_Zeb punched the wall. “So… now they’ve got ‘im… what now?” He REALLY didn’t want to know but the question had to be asked._

_“Kanan looked up, his expression desolate. “They’ll turn him… or kill him trying.”_

_Sabine made a strangled sobbing sound and buried her face in her knees._

_“Then we’ll have to find him before that happens.” Hera announced quietly. “Kanan, can’t you track him with the Force like—”_

_Kanan shook his head. “I lost Ezra’s Signature just before they took him. I haven’t been able to—” He cut off as a ripple of emotions hit him – noticeable only because he had been searching for them for what seemed like hours. Terror, pain, defiance, and a tiny strain of hope. “Ezra.” He frantically began tracing the emotions back to their source and saw the briefest flash of a bare cell and a torture droid._

**< > <> <> <>**

A soft clang sounded. “We’re docked. Kanan, find our boy.” The airlock slid open and the four Specters disappeared into the Imperial Stardestroyer.

They spread out a little but did not separate as Kanan let his instincts lead him down a series of hallways. Suddenly there was a whisper in his mind; pain, exhausted fear, and a grim determination. He sped up until they were just around the corner from a guarded door.

“Zeb? Quietly.” The Lasat grinned then proceeded to casually stroll around the corner and slam the two Troopers’ heads together. A wave of Kanan’s hand slid the door open and the rescuers stepped through, Zeb taking up the guard position in the doorway.

A small figure in a black jumpsuit lay crumpled on the floor, navy hair matted with blood. “Ezra!” Kanan was by his son’s side in seconds, sliding to his knees and gently reaching out, both with his hand and with the Force.

As Kanan rolled the boy over he felt a surge of horror. Multiple cuts littered Ezra's pale face, the worst of them being the one that crossed his right eye; blood leaked from the corner of his mouth and his lips were stained crimson; his arm stuck out at the wrong angle, all of his limbs did; Kanan could see where someone had hacked off the Padawan braid; and the boy's weak breathing rasped in a way that worried the Jedi.

"Ezra, can you hear me?" Kanan again reached for Ezra's mind with the Force, brushing against it and shuddering at the damage he could sense. "Come on, Padawan. Open your eyes for me." 

Hera was kneeling on Ezra's other side, gingerly arranging his broken limbs into more comfortable positions and getting a feel for her little Ezra's injuries. What she discovered made her sick. 

Kanan didn't look up when Hera began cursing and praying in her native tongue, he was too busy watching Ezra's face for any sign of consciousness. "Please Ezra..." 

As though he had said the magic words, Ezra's eyelids began to flutter. The entire crew held their breath, then Kanan's eyes widened in shock and worry. 

Ezra's electric blue eyes -- eyes that had mesmerized the entire crew the moment they saw them (even Zeb, though he never would admit it) -- were shot through with yellow, radiating out from his pupils. 

Yellow eyes were a sign of the Sith.

Setting aside his worry for Ezra's safety and health for a minute, Kanan dove into the boy's alarmingly weak Force Presence. He was both relieved and perturbed to find that the only Darkness he could sense was the residual Darkness that came from being attacked by a Sith; the rest was a full of Light as it was the last time Kanan had seen him. 

"Zeb." The Lasat looked over. "You'll need to carry him. Our diversion won't last much longer." Zeb nodded and Sabine took his place at the door as he gently picked up the broken form of his little brother, wincing at the almost inaudible, weak gasp of pain he voiced at being moved. 

They had to fight their way out; Zeb willingly gave up the chance to beat up the Imps in favor of protecting his precious load. Because in the long run, Ezra was the only thing that really mattered.

"Chopper get us out of here!" Hera called as Sabine closed the airlock. A chirping affirmative came over the comm and the  _Ghost_ broke away from the Stardestroyer. Hera ran for the cockpit while the others hurried to the Med-bay. 

**< > <> <> <>**

_Ezra groaned as he came back into consciousness. His muscles burned from the electricity he had been subjected to and the Force was still disturbingly absent._

_Electric blue eyes opened and looked with a sinking heart at the cell he was lying in. He remembered the Inquisitor fighting Kanan; that could only mean one thing. The Emperor had found him. His worst fear was coming true._

_Forcing himself into a sitting position, Ezra frowned in confusion at the metal bracelet around his right wrist. Of all the things to do to him, they put on a bracelet?_

_Then the door opened and the Inquisitor entered. "I was informed that you had awoken." The teen's only response was a glare. "Tsk. You should be grateful, you are being given an opportunity many would die for. And you are still being offered it after you so rudely refused the last time."_

_Ezra spat at the Pau'an and the Sith's yellow eyes narrowed. "I would be more respectful, whelp. I hold your life in my hands." The Inquisitor pressed a button on his forearm and Ezra screamed as electricity arced through his body._

_Now he knew what the bracelet was for._

_The current stopped and Ezra was curled in the fetal position, clawing at the bracelet._

_"Yes. That bracelet is capable of punishing you for misdeeds as well as monitoring your vitals." Ezra jerked at the quick jolt of electricity the Inquisitor activated. Ezra gasped and glared at the Inquisitor as he yanked the teen up by his hair -- his Padawan braid to be specific. "Such a small thing... a padawan's braid." An invisible hand closed around Ezra's throat and pulled him up higher. "But you don't need this anymore. Do you?" The man hissed in Ezra's ear before ruthlessly slicing off the thin braid._

_Ezra lashed out at his tormentor, his foot connecting with the Inquisitor's knee; the man snarled as another shock made Ezra gasp and go limp. The Dark Force grip on Ezra's neck vanished, leaving the boy to slump to the bench. "Remember BOY," the Inquisitor set fire to the braid in his hand. "This all ends when you agree to join the Emperor."_

_"That'll happen when Mustafar is as cold as Hoth."_

_The Inquisitor let the door slide shut behind him, and as he walked down the hall he grinned at the boy's scream._

_Ezra writhed in his cell, blinded by pain and screaming his throat raw._

_How long had this been going on? A minute? Ten?_

_When it ended, Ezra pressed his face into the cold metal beneath him. He had fallen off the bench at some point but he couldn't get himself to stop twitching long enough to care. Tears ran down his cheeks and blood dribbled from his mouth where he had bit his tongue._

_He lost time -- whether he actually passed out or not was uncertain. When suddenly a soothing feeling entered him: the Force. Soon afterwards he was finally able to push himself to his feet, though he was still unsteady, and almost immediately the door opened to admit a torture droid. Ezra's mind flashed to the scars on his torso from one of these things._

_But he had survived that; he could survive this metalhead too._

**< > <> <> <>**

Zeb lay Ezra's body on the table while Kanan set up the medical scanner and Sabine got a bowl of water to begin washing the blood out of her little brother's hair. The results of the scan came back and Kanan cursed; Ezra had nerve damage from electrical torture, there were several different toxins in his bloodstream, and a broken rib had perforated a lung which was now in the process of collapsing.

Hera came down in time to see Kanan putting an oxygen mask on Ezra, the boy's chest looking a little lopsided. "Collapsed lung." He informed her quietly, then he paused. "We can't treat it with what we have... and if we can't fix it... he's not going to make it."

"Can't Jedi heal others?" Sabine asked desperately. "Ezra did it for me."

"I was never a Healer, Sabine. I didn't have the empathy it took..."

"But this is EZRA!!" She shouted. "He's family! Surely you can generate enough empathy for the boy who's practically your son to at least fix part of it?!?"

Kanan paused, her words sinking in. "You're right, Sabine." He cut her off as she took a breath to continue. "I can try."

The Jedi stood over his broken Padawan and closed his eyes, opening himself to the Force and remembering the lessons he had had on  _Healing_ so many years ago. Memories of Ezra started appearing in his mind;

 _...the boy jumped from the ground to the ramp of the_ Ghost.  _An impossible distance -- unless you were a Jedi. The kid was so brave, so independent, and so alone..._

_... standing uncertainly in the hallway, then handing Kanan back his lightsaber. Kanan could feel the boy's cautious hope at finding somewhere to belong..._

_...Kanan plaiting the silky navy hair into a thin braid and telling Ezra the significance of a Padawan braid..._

_...the first time Ezra let Kanan take care of an injury the boy had gotten..._

_...Ezra standing in the cockpit sheepishly, leaning on his makeshift crutch and asking to learn to fly the_ Ghost. _.._

Kanan paused at that memory... it wasn't his...

_... Ezra dragging himself to relieve Zeb from engine duty even though he could barely stand..._

_...Ezra staring at him for nearly and hour, then quietly asking if Zeb would teach him..._

_... cradling the boy in his strong arms when they found him in that cave, and Ezra trusting him completely..._

_... Ezra calling Hera "Mom" when he was sick..._

_... electric blue eyes widening at the paintings on Sabine's walls, and teaching the Mandalorian girl how to pick pockets..._

_... a soft voice talking about anything and everything, pleading with his big sister to wake up, then pain fading away..._

_... Ezra burying his face in Kanan's shirt after his vision of the Emperor..._

_... the shock and sadness from Hera as Zeb got their youngest member to tell the stories of his scars..._

Kanan snapped open his eyes in time to see Ezra's chest  fixing itself, his lung was still damaged but it was no longer life threatening. A wave of exhaustion swept through Kanan and he sunk into a nearby chair.

"You did it!" Hera gasped.

Kanan shook his head. "We did it. I used your feelings and memories of Ezra to fuel the Healingtoo."

Hera and Zeb moved in and started setting Ezra's broken bones and Sabine moved from his hair to the blood on his face.

 Hera had just finished splinting Ezra's last break when she jerked back at a shock coming from the boy. "What the-?" Then Ezra started to twitch. "Kanan, what's going on?!"

The Jedi began searching the boy and finally came to the manacle on Ezra's wrist he had disregarded earlier. "Here. It's electrocuting him." Ignoring the shock he was getting from just touching Ezra, Kanan activated his lightsaber and very carefully cut away the metal. The electricity stopped and the bracelet fell to the table, leaving a swollen and blistered wrist.

They all relaxed a little bit, until Sabine uncovered his neck and gasped, "Look at this!" on both sides of Ezra's neck there were pinprick scabs. Syringes.

**< > <> <> <>**

_Ezra tried to wipe the blood off his hands but only succeeded in spreading it across his mutilated clothes more. A medic had been in a while ago to treat -- that's using the term loosely -- his wounds from the torture droid. They just didn't want him dying of blood loss too quickly._

_They had lowered the temperature of the cell shortly after the medic left, it now almost hurt to touch the ground. The door slid open and the Inquisitor stepped in; Ezra reflexively flinched and grabbed the bracelet even as his jaw stiffened and he glared._

_The Inquisitor caught the involuntary reaction and let a predatory grin steal across his features for a split-second. “The little Hero doesn’t look so good…” he mocked and Ezra’s glare intensified; his hair rippling in a nonexistent breeze.  The Sith’s yellow eyes narrowed and he pulled a syringe out. “Can’t have that now… can we?”_

_Ezra tied to bolt but the Dark Force wrapped around him, pinning his limbs and levitating him so his feet were a few inches above the ground. The Inquisitor pressed the needle into Ezra’s neck and the boy bit his lip as his sense of the Force vanished again. “Now, to teach the brat a lesson…” a second needle replaced the first and Ezra’s eyes widened, his body locking up even without the Inquisitor’s Dark Force grip on him._

_Almost as soon as the needle touched Ezra’s skin the area started burning and when the contents of the syringe was emptied into his body his veins suddenly felt like molten lava. He had just been complaining about how cold the floor of his cell was, but now he would give anything for that._

_The Dark Force dropped Ezra and he hit the ground hard but he just lay spread eagle on the icy floor, the sensation of his body burning from the inside-out driving away coherent thought. “…painful… it? …burn…its…out...tunately…” The Inquisitor was speaking but Ezra was incapable of understanding what was being said._

_The Inquisitor watched for a moment, reveling in the pain and fear that was being released into the Dark Force from the creature in front of him; the boy’s breath was coming in pained gasps and his face had gone stark white, eyes impossibly wide. The Pau’an’s grin widened; this particular cocktail had several stages to it, each as painful as the first. “I’ll leave you to it, then…” He walked out of the cell as the boy started convulsing and his clothes began smoking._

**< > <> <> <>**

“What do you think they were?” Sabine asked softly, rubbing some ointment into the injuries on Ezra’s neck.

“Probably Force Inhibitors… that would explain why I couldn’t sense him. His connection to the Force was almost completely blocked.” Kanan answered, carefully taking a blood sample from the teen to test for the poisons the scan had said were there.

“We just don’t have everything we need to treat all of his injuries, and we can’t buy them either. Too conspicuous.” Hera murmured, running her fingers along her lekku distractedly.

“We could go ta Alderaan… Zilo migh’ be able to help us…” Zeb suggested. They all knew how dangerous it was to contact the Senator – the Rebel leader – but Zeb was right, this was an emergency.

"Alright, I'll contact Zilo. Hopefully he can help us."

**< > <> <> <>**

_Ezra lay curled in the fetal position in the far corner of his cell. They had fed him twice --he figured they fed him about once a day-- since the pain had finally stopped. He hadn't been able to keep any of that food down._

_They had taken his clothes at some point and replaced them with a black jumpsuit. The loss of the comfortingly familiar orange outfit – even as torn up as it had been – was a bitter loss, since it had been the last thing to tie him to his life outside of his cell._

_Ezra wound his shaking arms around his stomach as tears started to fall. At the very beginning he had, perhaps foolishly, hoped that his family would come get him. But he now began to realize that no one would be coming; it was too dangerous._

_He grit his teeth and forced himself to stand on shaking legs. If rescue was impossible, then he would have this end in a way that Kanan would be proud of him for._

_He would not break._

_He would die first._

_With that determination in mind, Ezra began walking across the room back to the bench. He thought he heard someone hiss, "Sleep" just before his legs gave out and he crashed to the floor, already asleep._

_The Inquisitor stepped through the door; the whelp was terrified, in pain, and weak -- now it was time to begin the process of turning the Light loving fool to Darkness._

_The Inquisitor stood over Ezra's sprawled form and began whispering to the boy words of fear and betrayal as the Dark Force writhed around them_. 

_Ezra woke to darkness,they had turned off the lights in his cell -- again, no reliable indication of time. His side throbbed, but the pain was muted to the teen's lethargic mind._

_His hand abruptly aborted his habitual reach for his padawan braid -- intending to tug on it to wake himself up -- when he remembered that it was gone. Good riddance._

_Ezra froze. No…that's not...his braid was tradition...belonging...why?...why did he feel...like he hated...hated Kanan._

_He shuddered and lowered himself into a meditation trance -- vaguely pleased when the Force curled around him -- and began searching through his memories, frowning when the Force whispered that they were wrong. His face tensed as he began tearing apart the fake memories and allowing the Force to rebuild the true ones._

_An indeterminable time later the teen's eyes snapped open, unaware of the pale yellow that ringed the pupils of his blue eyes. "I am a Jedi."_

**< > <> <> <>**

The dark-skinned Alderaaninan man met them at the base of the  _Ghost_ 's ramp with two Medics and a gurney. Zeb carried Ezra down the ramp and laid him on the gurney, stepping back as the Medics hurried the boy into the building. 

"Thank you, Zilo." Kanan shook Zilo's hand and the man smiled.

"Not at all my friend, I'm just glad I could be of help. We've provided you and your crew rooms on base to stay in until young Ezra is well again." 

"How long will that be?" Sabine asked, joining them.

"We won't know that until the Medics are done examining him."

Kanan ran a hand down his face. "I only wish we could find a Mind Healer _._  I sensed a lot of damage, but I'm not much of a Healer -- in any form." 

Zilo frowned in thought. “I may have… a solution to your problem. If she is willing.” The remaining members of the crew frowned in confusion but the man simply bowed slightly to them as an auburn-haired woman approached from the building. “Kadme will show you to your rooms.”

“Thank you again, Zilo. May the Force be with you.”

The Rebel leader smiled sadly, “And with you, Master Jedi.” before leaving them with Kadme.

Kadme led them to a hallway of doors just off the Medical Center. “The ladies are in this room,” she then pointed to the door directly across the hall, “the men in that one.” Hera opened her mouth and Kadme smiled slightly as she answered the Twi’lek’s unspoken question. “I’ll take you to the Med-center now. I can’t guarantee that they’ll let you see your boy yet, though.”

“Doen’t matter. We need ta be there.”

**< > <> <> <>**

_The Inquisitor stared furiously at the boy in front of him. Ezra was kneeling in a meditation position with his hands resting on his thighs; his eyes were closed and he appeared to either not notice the Pau’an’s presence, or he was ignoring him._

_The Inquisitor had the irritating feeling that it was the latter._

_The Sith had just given Ezra a dose of Force Inhibitors less than an hour ago, but the boy appeared for all intents and purposes in a deep meditation. Reaching out to the teen’s mind he found it well guarded, though he could definitely sense the damage just behind the mental walls._

_A jolt of electricity made Ezra flinch out of his meditation and his eyes snapped open into a glare. “Do you mind?” the voice was soft and weak from disuse, but still somehow managed to convey the attitude the Inquisitor thought had been tortured out of him weeks ago._

_Then the Inquisitor noticed the yellow ring in the boy’s narrowed eyes and was unsure of how to react. Yellow eyes were a common mark of the Sith, but somehow he didn’t think that applied to this boy._

_Ezra glared steadily at the red and white face of his jailer; he knew he had thrown the Sith off with his attitude and allowed himself a small flicker of victory. It probably wasn’t the best idea to be irritating the man who could kill him with a press of a button, but Ezra couldn’t find the energy to care anymore._

_He had already determined that he would be dying in that cell, after all, so why draw it out any longer?_

_The Inquisitor sensed the small flicker of amusement from the boy and his temper flared. With a backhanding motion, he Force smacked Ezra across the cell, where he landed on the bench and rolled off. “I tire of your games, boy…” A Force choke lifted the teen to the ceiling then dropped him, this time a small gasp of pain sounded as Ezra’s right ankle broke on impact. Rather enjoying that sound, the Inquisitor proceeded to break each of the teen’s limbs one by one._

_Ezra’s first scream came when the man snapped his femur and the Dark Force pulsed, greedily sucking in the pain._

_After throwing the teen around like a broken ragdoll for a while longer, the Inquisitor grabbed the back of Ezra’s neck and looked directly into the pain-glazed eyes. “You WILL join the Emperor…” he hissed “or I will kill you.”_

_“Then kill me.”_

_Electricity arced through Ezra’s body at the same time as a wave of the Dark Force slammed into the boy’s mind._

_The Pau’an Sith stared at the unconscious boy in his hand, he couldn’t actually kill him until the Emperor told him he could; they were, in fact, heading to Coruscant soon so the Emperor could try his hand at breaking the whelp himself._

_His comm crackled, informing him of a disturbance outside the ship. He turned and walked out the door, leaving the boy’s body to drop to the floor in a crumpled heap._

**< > <> <> <>**

Hera sat next to the tank her little Ezra floated in. The Medics had been forced to modify a Bacta tank to lay horizontally when it became apparent that some of Ezra’s injuries wouldn’t allow them to put him in any sort of vertical position. He had been in the tank for over a week and the boy had yet to even stir, something that the Medics were rather worried about; with the way he was healing – at least physically –he should have started waking up days ago.

A Medic appeared in the room. “We’re going to need you to join the others in the waiting room. The Bacta has done all it can for him and another doctor has arrived to examine him.”

Hera stood reluctantly and walked the familiar route to the waiting room, where she went immediately into Kanan’s arms; she felt his lips ghost over her lekku as she buried her face in his chest. Sabine and Zeb sat in emotionally exhausted silence as the four of them waited to be told when they could see Ezra again.

“Caleb Dume?”

The voice full of disbelief had Kanan looking up quickly, and finding himself locking eyes with a familiar gaze. “Alessia? Alessia Hizaki?”

A Togruta female with rust-red skin, white markings around her eyes and nose, and deep green montrals smiled at her old friend. “Thank the Force, Caleb. I thought you died in Order 66.”

Kanan quickly hugged the woman. “You’re Zilo’s contact?”

She nodded. “He told me a little of the situation but he didn’t tell me it was you!” Amber eyes glanced at the other occupants of the room. “Aren’t you going to introduce me, Cal?”

“Sorry. ‘Lessi, this is my team; Hera, Sabine, Zeb, Chopper, and… Ezra… is the one you’re here to see…” Hera returned to his embrace. “Guys, this is Alessia. She was known for her skill in Mind and Soul Healing at the Temple. She’s also one of my oldest friends.”

“Doctor Zika?”a medic poked his head into the room. “We’re ready for you.”

Alessia nodded. “Thank you Hermes. You and your coworkers are free to leave, I would like to examine the boy alone.” When the man was gone she turned back to Kanan. “How bad should I be expecting?”

“The Inquisitor had him for nearly a month. There seemed to be an awful lot of damage, but you’re the expert ‘Lessi.”

“He hasn’t woken up at all?”

“He opened his eyes once while we were breaking him out, but other than that… he hasn’t really even responded to pain.” Hera said and the Togruta frowned.

“Given the proof of torture… not reacting to pain is to be expected, he’s been desensitized. As for not waking up… we’ll just have to see…” She nodded to the group and walked down the hall to Ezra’s room.

Two hours later Alessia came back into the waiting room, she looked exhausted but not at all surprised at the people still waiting in the room. After slumping into a chair and rubbing her montrals silently for a moment, she spoke. “The damage was extensive, it’s going to take me awhile to Heal what can be Healed. Surprisingly, I found that a lot of the damage was self-inflicted.”

“What?!”

She nodded. “From what I've been able to determine, someone altered some of his memories and Ezra tore his mind apart rooting out the fake memories.”

“An’ the rest o tha damage?”

“A wave of the Dark Force, mostly made of anger.” Alessia sighed and leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees. “What worries me the most… is that Ezra seems to have given up. He was so sure that he was going to die in that cell, so he decided that fighting wasn’t worth it anymore.”

“Can we see him? Maybe having us talk to him would help.” Sabine suggested.

“It probably will. It will give him something to fight for – if you can convince him that you’re not just his imagination.” The Jedi Healer stood up. “Only one of you at a time, please. I’ll be back in the morning to check on him again.”

“Thank you for coming, ‘Lessi. I know how dangerous this is.”

“No thanks necessary ‘Nan. I’m glad I can help.” With a final wave, the Togruta left, and the door slid closed behind her.

“You go in first Kanan.” Sabine said, looking at the Jedi. “He’s your apprentice so you might have the best luck.”

Kanan nodded and moved to leave, but was stopped at the door by Hera’s voice. “I’ll come replace you in half an hour.”

“Alright.” He left the waiting room and hurried down the hall to where his Padawan lay.

He slid into a chair by the single bed in the room and stared at the boy laying on it. Ezra’s already pale face was washed out even more by the white clothes the Medics had dressed him in. “Hey Ezra… it’s Kanan. You’re safe now, Kid. You’re in a Rebel Medical Facility on Dantooine… so wake up for me, okay buddy?” Kanan placed a hand on Ezra’s head, stroking back the jagged tuft where the padawan braid had been cut off.

Kanan spent the next half hour talking about anything and everything; the years between the fall of the Jedi Order and meeting Ezra, some of his best memories of the Crew, and how much he wanted Ezra to be alright. “You’ve proven you can push through some pretty bad stuff Ezra; now push through this, Padawan, and you’ll have proven you can push through anything…”

Hera came in and Kanan stood up . An idea had been forming in his mind since he sat down, and he was going to act on that idea. As he walked out he saw Hera kissing Ezra's forehead.

A few days later, after Alessia had checked on him, Kanan sat down next to Ezra. "Hey buddy, Alessia says you're doing better..." he talked for a little while longer before pulling out a light blue hair-tie and an red bead. It had taken him awhile to find the perfect bead for this but he finally had. 

"This tradition was pretty much unused among the Jedi in modern times, but I read about it in the Archives." While Kanan was speaking he had reached over and began plaiting a new padawan braid into Ezra's hair. When he had finished, before tying it off, he slipped the bead onto the end of the braid.

 "Red and orange for a Trial by Fire, which tempers the soul..." once the bead was on he secured the braid. "...and leaves you stronger than you were before."

A weak Force presence brushed against Kanan's mind and he looked in shock at the blue and yellow eyes of his son. "Ezra." A flicker of fear carried across their training bond. "This is real, Ezra. I'm right here and you're safe." He reinforced his words with a comforting pulse through the bond, his response was a questioning feeling. 

"We've had you back for about two weeks." Another question along with a mental shudder. "...nearly a month..." Ezra's eyes closed. "...can you say something for me Ezra?"

Kanan felt a swirl of emotion as the teen stared at him. Nearly four minutes later a small voice spoke. "...mom...?" 

"You want me to get Hera?" An affirmative from the bond had Kanan standing, he placed a hand on Ezra's head. "We'll be right back."

The conversation in the waiting room stopped as Kanan entered. Ignoring the others for now, he locked eyes with Hera. "Ezra's awake. He's asking for you." The Twi'lek stood immediately and the two adults headed down the hall.

 Ezra was staring blankly at the ceiling when they came in and flinched at the sound of the door opening. His face lit up a bit when he saw who it was, his mouth opening as though to speak but closed it again without a sound. 

Hera was by his side in seconds, sitting on the edge of the bed and gathering the boy into her arms. "Ezra." Trembling arms returned the embrace as Ezra buried his face in her shoulder; a feeling of safety swept through the bond. Kanan came over to sit on the other side of the bed and wrapped his arms around both of them. 

They were still in that position when Alessia, having heard her patient was awake, entered the room. "Don't leave." She said as Kanan noticed her and moved to stand.

Ezra flinched violently at the new, unknown voice. 

"Ezra," Kanan explained, "this is Alessia Hizaki; she's a Jedi Mind Healer. She's been helping you for the past few days." He's sent comfort and assurance through the bond until Ezra peeked at the Togruta over Hera's shoulder.

Alessia had lowered herself into a cross legged position on the floor. "Hello Ezra, I'm glad you're awake. Is it all right if I just check you real quick?" She lowered her shields and waited until a hesitant probe touched her mind, then she gently followed it back to Ezra's mind. A few minutes later she withdrew and stood. "You're doing just fine, Ezra. Should I send Sabine and Zeb in?" 

Ezra hid his face in Hera's shoulder again but Kanan nodded after a ripple of affirmation and longing came through the bond. Ezra's two older siblings came in a few minutes later and joined the trio on the bed. 

Three days later the  _Ghost_ crew was leaving Dantooine -- it was too dangerous to stay any longer. Hera and Sabine got Ezra to his bunk (which was now in Kanan's room) while Zeb loaded supplies and Kanan spoke to Alessia. 

"...he's only spoken once since he woke up. Should we be worried, 'Lessi?"

"Give him time, Cal. He'll talk when he's ready. Don't let Zeb tease him about it, and make sure all of you are there to listen -- even if he doesn't say anything." 

Kanan nodded then turned to bow to Zilo as the man approached. "Thank you again for all your help, Zilo."

The Rebel Leader shook his head with a laugh. "We've been over this my friend, no thanks are necessary. Ezra is safe and well; that is all that matters." 

"Kanan." Zeb appeared on the ramp. "We're ready ta go." 

Kanan nodded, shook hands with Zilo one last time, and kissed Alessia on the forehead in a brotherly manner. "May the Force be with you, 'Lessi."

"And with you old friend." 

**< > <> <> <>**

It was almost two months before Ezra spoke with any sort of regularity, and another month before he wasn't waking up screaming every night. Shortly after the nightmares slowed, the old Ezra began showing up more and more. 

His skin returned to its healthy tan -- but for the lighter scar across his right eye -- and the pale yellow in his eyes darkened to a gold.

Kanan felt a pang of sorrow and guilt -- sorrow that Ezra had gone through something like that, and guilt that he had been unable to prevent it -- every time his son looked at him with those bicolored eyes. 

But nearly nine months after Ezra was first taken, that sorrow turned to pride when those eyes reflected the light of the teen's blue lightsaber as he dueled the Inquisitor.

**Author's Note:**

> WOW this was hard to write. But I persevered because, as my friend put it, "if you can't make it, then neither does your character."
> 
> An electro-grenade (mentioned in the first flashback) is like the droid-poppers they use in the Clone Wars cartoons, like mini EMP bombs but the electro-grenades are for people.
> 
> Zilo is Bail Organa's codename. Its too dangerous for him to let people know who the Rebel Leader is so the Rebels refer to him as Zilo.
> 
> I'm not entirely sure how the time stuff works for Ezra - but neither does he. He THINKS they feed him once a day, but do they really? He also spends a lot of time either unconscious or in so much pain he doesn't care about anything else. All in all he spends about three weeks with the Inquisitor.
> 
> Alessia is a character of my own making, but I rather like her, she reminds me of Ahsoka Tano (that MIGHT be where my subconscious got the idea for her, eheh.)
> 
> See ya'll around!


End file.
